High pressure cased contraction and expansion joint



March 7, 1939. H. E. HoFwoLT 2,149,291

HIGH PRESSURE CASED, CONTRACTION AND EXPANSION JOINT y Filed Aug. 23, 1937 l L l l l l l l .|111

#lill/1111111111111 ATTORN EYS Patented Mar. 7, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HIGH PREssI-IRE oAsED CONTRACTION AND EXPANSION JOINT Harry E. Hofwolt, Luverne, Minn. vApplication August23, 1937, Serial No. 160,512

3v Claims.

v 'I'his invention relates to what is known as expansion joints, and its general object is to provide 'a joint of that character, which can be used with utmost efficiency in concrete work of all kinds, but'is primarily designed for paving construction, such asconcrete highways,'roads, pavements, streets, alleys, etc., to compensate for kexpansion and contraction of paved sections, in

any direction and to any extent, thereby elimi- `nating any possibility of the sections cracking or .becoming permanently out of alignment, as my joint not only acts as a ller, but actually and permanently secures or locks the sections together for relative movement.

l -An important object is to provide a joint of the character set forth, that includes companion casing members, initially held connected together .in spacedrelation, with highly compressed elastic ller' material therein, that expands and contracts freely underall conditions, the casing members being disconnected from each other when the concrete sets, so as to allow independent movement thereof with respect to each other,

as well as free expansion andcontraction of the material, and the casing members arer fixed to .adjacent sections of concrete,v for movement therewith, yet means `are provided to hold the casing members associated and to prevent the lconcrete sections `from being disposed Out of alignment therewith and with each other.

A further object is to provide what may be termed vahigh pressure, steel cased, contraction and expansion paving joint that is water-tight, and trough means are provided and xed to the casing members, to not only act to prevent moisture from passing to the soil below the concrete sections but also to fix the casing members to the sections. f

Another object is to provide a 'joint ofthe character set forth, that also reinforces the concrete sections, is easy to lay, inexpensive to manufacture, simple in construction, and extremely efficient in use and service.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a top plan view illustrating the construction.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view illus- Y y trating the joint in use. f

Referring'to the drawing in detail, it will be noted that the joints in the form as shown are used in aligned pairs disposed in end to end contact, and each joint includes a pair of companion casing members I which in the form as illustrat- 10 ed are tapered toward one end to follow the inclination of the road bed, and the lower edge of the members are inclined for that purpose. Each casing member is provided with a side wall 2 which is co-extensive with the length of the 15 joint and the side walls have flanges 3 formed thereon and extending at right angles from the upper, lower and end edges thereof, for disposal toward each other. The ilanges 3 are recessed asat 4 to provide tongues 5 between the recesses, 20 and the casing members are constructed and arranged so that the tongues 5 of one member are aligned with the recesses of the opposed member, as clearly shown in Figure 1.

Disposed between or within the casing members is a mass 6 providing a filler and which may be of any material suitable for the purpose, but is preferably a composition oi cork, rubber and asphalt, in that it has been found that such a tion qualities under all weather conditions. In

Ymaking the joint, the mass 6 is highly compressed between the casing members, and the side walls 2 thereof are provided with openings to receive headed pins 1 through which extends a key wire 35 8 for cooperation with the pins for holding the mass 6 in its compressed condition until such time that the joint is put into use and the concrete sets. In Order to allow ready removal of the key wire 8, I provide sleeves 9 surrounding the 40 wire, and when the wire is removed, it will be obvious that the casing members are then free to move inwardly in either direction toward and away from each other, yet the mass 6 is confined between the casing members due to the anges 3.

Secured to the inner sides of the side walls 2 to be embedded within the mass 6, are flanged strips l0 which extend longitudinally of the walls and are co-extensive with the length thereof. The ilanges of the strip I0 extend inwardly and 5o upwardly, and the strips provide troughs, for cooperation with troughs Il that are likewise Aformed from ilanged strips bent at right angles upon themselves with the inner flanges iixed to anges disposed in parallelism therewith, as clearly shown in Figure 3. It will be obvious that the troughs prevent water, moisture and the like from seeping through the joint or between the joint and the sections I2 of concrete, therefore moisture cannot reach the soil below the sections to cause damage by freezing and thawing.

The side walls are also provided with openings Within which are slidably mounted reinforcing rods I3 that are of av length to extend within a considerable distance of the concrete sections as shown in Figure 3, and the extending ends of the rods I3 have loosely mounted thereon sleeves I4 having closed outer ends.V Surrounding the rods I3 and disposed between the walls 2 for engagement therewith, are coil springs I5, which vtend. to urge the members apart and provide rigidity and strength to the'joint.

From the above description and disclosure of the drawing, it will be obvious that in using my joints in building concrete highways and the like,

the joints are laid in companion pairs -as suggested in Figures 1 and 2. 'I'he concrete is then poured inthe usual manner to the height of the joint as shown in Figure 3. Whenthe concrete sets,the key wires 8 are removed from the pins l, so that the pressure on the mass 6 is ultimately released, to allow expansion and contraction thereof, in accordance with the expansion and contraction ofthe concrete sections which are held fixed to the casing members by the troughs II, to prevent separation thereof, and the casing members together with the concrete sections are held in alignment against horizontal and vertical displacement by the reinforcing rods It.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination andgarrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. An expansion joint for concrete construction andfcomprising separable members cooperating to provide a casing including side Walls, anges formed on the upper, lower and end edges of the side walls and being recessed to provide tongues, said members being arranged with respect to` each other for disposing the tongues of one member in registration with the recesses of the other member, a mass of elastic material within said casing, means for initially holding said casing members together with the material highly compressed and being releasable to allow independent movement of the casing members for free expansion and contraction of the mass of material, rods loosely mounted through the walls and extending upon opposite sides thereof, sleeves having closed outer ends and loosely surrounding the extending portions of the rods, and moisture troughs secured to the inner and outer sides of the walls and extending longitudinally thereof.

2. An expansion Yjoint for concrete construction and comprising separable members cooperating to provide a casing including side walls, flanges formed on the side walls and being recessed to provide tongues, said members being arranged with respect to each other for disposing the'tongues of one member in registration with the recesses Aof the other member, a mass of elastic material'withinsaid casing, and means for initially holding said casing members together vwith the material highly compressed and being releasable to allow independent movement of the casing members for free expansion and contraction of the mass of material.

3. An expansion joint for concrete construction and comprising separable members cooperating to provide a casing including side walls having openings arranged therein in row formation, with the openings of' one Wall registering with those of the other; flanges formed on the side walls and being recessed to provide tongues, said members being) arranged with respect to. each other for disposing .the tongues of 'one memberrin registration with the recesses of the other member, a mass of elastic material within said casing, means forinitially holdingv said casing members together with the 'material highly compressed and being releasable to allow independent movement of the' casing members for free expansion and contraction of the mass of material, said holding means including headedpins mounted in the registering openings, a` key wire extending through the pins and beyond one end of the members to facilitate removal of the wire from the pins, a sleeve surrounding the wire and disposed between the pins, and moisture troughs secured to said casing members."

vHARRY E. HoFWoLT. 

